RALEIGH - An armed robbery suspect who drowned during a police pursuit Friday in Raleigh was wanted for a home invasion robbery that occurred earlier this month, a Raleigh police spokesman said today.

The man also had a criminal history over the past five years that included marijuana trafficking, court records show.

Members of the Raleigh Police Department's Fugitive Task Force were looking for Gabriel Lee Miles, 24, on the 4700 block of Trademark Drive to serve a warrant for his arrest on armed robbery charges.

Police said that after Miles was spotted just before 4:30 p.m., he fled behind Southeastern Wholesale Tire on Trademark Drive and jumped into Carolina Lake, which is directly behind the business.

Miles was distancing himself from authorities when he slipped beneath the water's surface. Despite the efforts of fire and EMS units and a dive team from the Angier, attempts to rescue Miles did not succeed. Law officers recovered Miles’ body at 9:45 p.m., police reported.

Police spokesman Jim Sughrue declined to discuss the details about the home invasion robbery investigators think Miles may have been involved with.

Miles was a strong suspect in the home invasion case, Sughrue said today.

“Probable cause was presented to a magistrate and a warrant was issued for his arrest,” he said.

Miles’ last known address was on Shanda Drive, according to state records. He has a criminal history in Wake County dating back to 2001 when he was convicted of felony trafficking in marijuana, state records show. He was convicted again in 2005 for felony maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for the use, storage or sale of a controlled substance. He was also convicted that year for a felony possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana and for a felony probation violation, court records show. Two years later, Miles was convicted of misdemeanor possession of marijuana, court records show.

Raleigh Police's Major Crime Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the drowning.

News researcher Lamara Williams contributed to this report.

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